win check-up share gold cup on the art joy of couples prize pack of sleep tying the knot page 4 page 2 page 4 TODAY’S LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE MANU’S KITCHEN RULES 15 / 3 / 13 BY SUE WALLACE THERE’s a pile of mismatched diced onion in front of me, the oil in my frying pan is turning black and my stuffed fillet of pork is definitely lopsided. Flustered? Picture: TARA GOONAN I admit I am — and perhaps a tad out of my depth. How do you keep up with a celebrity chef, who’s charming, good looking and has an appealing French accent to boot. It’s not every day you get to do a cooking masterclass with the oh-so-debonair Manu Feildel. In less time than you can say My Kitchen Rules, he’s come to my rescue. He ditches my efforts, shows me how to re-dice another onion, fixes my lopsided fillet and whisks away the burnt oil and replaces it. It’s all done in a flash and we move on to the next step. “You make it look easy,” I tell Feildel, who is sharing his skills at a small masterclass at Wodonga TAFE. “It’s taken me 25 years to learn, so you aren’t doing too badly,” he jokes. Today we are cooking two dishes — Filet Mignon de Porc aux Pommes et Sauge and Cotes de Porc Dijonnaise. You have to admit some of the romance is lost in translation, pork stuffed with apple and sage and pork cutlets with creamy mus- tard sauce, just doesn’t have the same ring. Feildel is the ambassador for Murray Valley Pork and is on a whistlestop tour visiting Rivalea’s Corowa farm where it’s produced and has dropped into Wodonga TAFE to take a class and encourage apprentices to take up cooking. — Continued page 27

Friday, March 15, 2013 Page 27 3 wine and dine

HOME GROWN with Sue Wallace ON THE PLATE

Manu’s pork WITH and apples rule SUE WALLACE

— from page 25 and some commercial mustards are just plain bad,” he says. Browns He says he gets lots of offers to The sauce takes some time to endorse products but only does so if achieve the correct consistency and he’s passionate about its quality and I am dipping my spoon in every few consistency. seconds so it doesn’t overcook. toast Feildel is particular about his pork “A little more cooking time,” and it’s a bugbear of his that home Feildel says as he checks over his pro- cooks often overcook it. teges for the morning. “You don’t have to kill it twice,” “Sauce is important, remember Patricia he jokes. that.” Before long the class is humming All MKR fans are familiar with along and I am slicing and dicing Feildel’s regular question to competi- THERE will be celebrations this with the best of them. tors — where’s the sauce? Pork stuffed with apple and sage weekend to mark the 10th release “See, it’s not that hard,” says This time there’s plenty. of Brown Brothers’ flagship range, Ingredients: firm and still hold their Patricia, named in honour of the Feildel, who considered a career The pork cutlets are finished shape; take care not to over- in the circus before becoming an off in the oven and we slice fresh 1 x 400g piece pork filet mignon late Patricia Brown. cook. Patricia’s Lunch event kicks off apprentice chef at the age of 15. Jerusalem artichokes that are deep- Olive oil, for cooking Drain on paper towel to The pork fillet is stuffed with apple fried for a short time. tomorrow with the re-opening 1 granny smith apple, peeled, remove excess oil and butter. of the family cellar, followed by and sage, seasoned, then browned in “Now we wait,” says Feildel. Remove the pan from the a frypan. As we wait, I learn that he’s in cored and cut into 6 wedges a five-course lunch designed by heat and wipe clean with paper head chef Douglas Elder. “Leave it to caramelise, but don’t training to trek the Kokoda Track for Sea salt and freshly ground towel. Roll the sage leaves burn it,” he says, as the oil starts to his charity CanTeen, he lost 8kg on black pepper Each course will be perfectly around the apple and insert into matched to the wines of the 10th smoke and splatter. Dancing With the Stars and gains a 20g unsalted butter the centre of the pork. But this time I rescue it in time, few kilos during the MKR series. release of the Patricia range, as 5 sage leaves Heat a little more olive oil well as some from the past dec- hoping no fire alarms will be set off. “I love my life and I am a passion- in the cleaned pan over high “People have been serving apple ate about cooking,” he says. Vegetable oil, for deep-frying ade. heat and cook the pork for 2-3 There will be an acoustic per- with pork for as long as they have We take our seats in the dining 500g Jerusalem artichokes, minutes on each side or until been eating them — here I replace room at Wodonga TAFE and our formance by Tom Kline. skin-on and thinly sliced golden. The cost is $115 for Epicurean the more traditional apple sauce with meal is served — Fieldel toasts us all Transfer to the oven and roast a lovely apple stuffing,” he says. with a loud “bon appetit”. Flat-leaf parsley or thyme leaves, Club members and $130 for non- for 7 minutes. Set aside to rest. members. Bookings are essential “I love cooking with pork filet “You are all good cooks and I to serve Meanwhile, heat the and can be made by phone on mignon as it is not only the most would eat at your house any time,” Method: vegetable oil for deep-frying in a 1800 032 248. succulent cut of pork but also the he says. large heavy-based saucepan over On Sunday the family cellar will quickest to cook.” I then ask that question that eve- Preheat the oven to 200°C. high heat until it registers 190°C be open to the public as part of a The fillets are then whisked into ryone wants to know — who wins Use a sharp knife to make a on a sugar/deep-fry winery tour. the oven and Feildel tells us the My Kitchen Rules? hole through the centre of the thermometer. Patricia’s Table at the Epicurean importance of resting meat. “As in the past it’s the ones who pork, ready for the stuffing. Set Fry the artichoke slices for Centre will offer an a-la-carte “If you don’t they will be tough ... are the quietest and who work hard aside. 1-2 minutes or until golden. menu with specially designed you need to rest it for half the cook- and get things done that win,” he Heat a little olive oil in an Drain on paper towel and scat- dishes matched to the new release ing time and then reheat.” confides almost in a whisper. ovenproof frying pan over high ter with parsley or thyme. Patricia wines. Next we are working on the pork “Sue ... I could tell you who wins heat. Add the apple and season Cut the pork on the diagonal Once the site of Patricia’s vege- cutlets with creamy mustard sauce. but as they say in the movies I would well with salt and pepper. into 2-3cm thick slices, then table garden, the Epicurean Centre “The mustard flavour here is mel- have to kill you.” Cook for 2-3 minutes, turning spoon over any pan juices. menu features local produce based low because its Dijon — make sure And just for the record you are until golden all over, then add Serve with the artichokes to dishes inspired by her love of food. you use French mustard here, never welcome for dinner any time Manu the butter and sage. the side. Bookings for Sunday lunch English, American or that stuff called Feildel — just give me plenty of Fry for 1 minute or until the and family cellar tour are recom- French style — they are not the same notice. apple wedges are tender but Serves two mended. Mrs Brown was the matriarch of the Brown family and worked in the wine business for more than 60 years. In recognition of her passion and dedication to her family and hard work, the flagship range of six Brown Brothers wines was named in her honour. Wine and food lovers can also head to Rutherglen for its second weekend of Tastes of Rutherglen gourmet food and wine event. Described as the ultimate food and wine party, 20 particpating wineries will celebrate 25 years of the event over two weekends. Meet the winemakers and dis- cover the passion of North East Victoria’s local producers. Perfectly matched food and wine combinations will be offered at the wineries prepared by the region’s best chefs. Call 1300 787 929 or visit win- emakers.com.au

● Manu Feildel gives Border Mail journalist Sue Wallace a few tips on how not to overcook pork cutlets. Picture: TARA GOONAN

Friday, March 15, 2013 Page 29